Yesterday, I published a piece on the arrival of austerity at Ibrox, and I promised a follow-up article on the same subject. I meant to get it done immediately, but family commitments kept me busy. In hindsight, I’m glad I didn’t, as it gave me the chance to review Clement’s latest press conference—a masterclass in avoidance.
I was curious to see if any journalist would ask him how he feels about the onset of severe cost-cutting at his club.
Naturally, nobody did.
Instead, the room filled with the usual chatter about potential signings, missing the far bigger story and the glaring issue screaming out for attention.
For much of this season, Philippe Clement has been vocal in his complaints. He’s lamented the lack of resources at his disposal and highlighted Celtic’s squad depth compared to his own. He’s faced criticism for these remarks—from Brendan Rodgers, the media (eventually), and even his own supporters—being told to stop hiding behind excuses. But, in fairness, Clement has a point. With games coming thick and fast, you need a big squad to remain competitive, and his options are undeniably thin.
I covered Patrick Stewart’s infamous interview in depth last week, where he was unequivocal about what this transfer window will look like for his club: not three or four signings, but one or two. At most.
If enough players are sold, perhaps an additional signing could be squeezed in, but every departure only weakens Clement’s hand further.
Reports suggest as many as seven first-team players could be shown the door this month. Not first-team regulars, but squad players who provide critical options. We know that three players have definitely been told they can go.
Clement came into this window expecting to strengthen. Stewart has already undermined him by setting strict financial limits. Even the club’s fans can do the maths here: if three players leave and two arrive, the squad is weaker. Talk of seven departures? It’s a nightmare scenario, no matter how the media tries to spin it. Clement will see it too, and he’ll be under no illusions about what it means.
Imagine a Celtic manager under similar constraints. The media would be relentless, grilling him at every press conference about how he feels and whether he can cope. Yet in Clement’s case, the press barely bats an eyelid.
Let’s not kid ourselves: austerity has arrived in a big way. No club enters a transfer window aiming to weaken its squad, yet this is precisely what seems to be happening across the city. The focus isn’t on bolstering the team but on trimming the wage bill by any means necessary. It’s a fire sale.
This isn’t spin or speculation—it’s cold, hard reality.
The talk about Clement rebuilding the youth system was used to justify scrapping the B team. The excuse making on that front is already rank. This is a lesser issue in some ways, because it may only have a short term impact … but if so many first team players are leaving I cannot imagine Clement being happy.
We’re not just talking about fringe players. Three of the seven are academy stars, but ones who have been on the bench lately. Four are not. Tom Lawrence, a starter earlier in the season. Kieran Dowell, a player Clement has relied on recently. Rabbi Matondo, someone he was desperate to get back from injury, and yes there’s speculation about Cyriel Dessers. These aren’t peripheral figures—they’re core components of his squad.
Crisis will swirl around Ibrox if they get rid of these guys without bringing in replacements. From what Stewart said, there is next to no chance of that. But crisis will swirl around the club all the more if they can’t trim that wage bill in the way that is now clearly necessary. They are all out of good options.
That there are fewer games in the second half of the season might ease the burden slightly, but not enough to counteract the impact of losing squad depth. The same players who are tired now will be run into the ground by the campaign’s end. Clement knows this, and he’s been vocal about it all year. The suggestion that he’s happy with the current strategy is absurd. It insults our intelligence.
Yet his club are cutting costs because they have no choice. They posted a £17 million loss last season, and this year’s number will likely be far worse. The directors have no appetite for sustaining these levels of debt, so the axe is falling.
But while this might be necessary for financial survival, it’s disastrous for Clement. He’s the one who’ll carry the can if results don’t improve, and the people in charge seem determined to make his job impossible.
That’s a news story. It’s a news story whether the media wants to write it or not. Precious little ink has been spilled on the implications of this change.
The austerity may have only just begun. This window could be the start of a deeper and more painful restructuring. But how does Clement feel about all of this? Does he accept it? Is he frustrated? Furious? We can certainly hazard a guess … but we don’t know, and the reason we don’t know is simple: nobody has bothered to ask.
Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images
Could also be a way of forcing him to resign when it gets to hot to handle the pressure from the klanbase too , a caretaker would also be cheaper,
Burn baby burn, disco inferno , HA,HA.
Let’s hope this winter of huge discontent, made glorious by their fiscal madness, continues ad nauseam!
Although we can see it as madness when anyone accepts the managerial hotseat at Ibrokes, there has to be a huge dose of gullibility, present, in every guy they appoint.
Either that or the writing on the wall, is not painted in big enough letters!
Long may his reign continue! HH
Where is their bling loan riding up The Copeland Road…
Because there will be one for sure…
Hopefully as unsuccessful as the other blingy flops were !!!